Selecting mechanism for color weft insertion



April 1952 H. J. COOPER 2,594,398

' SELECTING MECHANISM FOR coLoR WEFT INSERTION Filed 001',- ll, 195 3Sheets-Sheet 1 4 Inventor Henry James 60611.51- B gum am wum AttorneyApril 29, 1952 H. J. COOPER 2,594,398

SELECTING MECHANISM FOR COLOR WEFT INSERTION Filed Oct. ll. 1950 3Sheets-Sheet 2 I nventor Henry James Cooker Attorney April 29, 1952 J.COOPER 2,594,398

SELECTING MECHANISM FOR COLOR WEFT INSERTIQN Filed Oct. 11, 1950 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Henry James Coolzer B JMJMLM SfiMJJmjsRav-LMAttorney Patented Apr. 29, 1952 SELECTING MEonANIsMmn CQLOR WEFTINSERTIQN: .1 y r on Henry J Cooper, Stcckport, England ApplicationOctober 11 ,1950, Serial Nb; iisaeo In Great Britain octoberkl 1 949 lThis invention relates to the supplying of weft to a warp in looms forweaving wherein shuttles travel continuously and without reversal ofmotion through a warp.

Inthe production of'some fabrics, changes in colour or kind of 'weft areeffected in order to produce a, pattern or for some other purpose. Tosupplywefts of different colours or kinds in the correct order forsupplying same to a warp in ordertoproduce a givenpattern, lengths ofweft are takenin thecorrect order from stationary supplies'of weft ofdifferent colours and/or kinds andftransferred to the shuttles of theloom.- One method of transfer which can be employed consists inpro-winding lengths of weft orif-to holders and then transferring theprewound weft from the holders to the shuttles during the travel of theshuttles circularly, the holders having ends of the stationary suppliesof weft pres'ented to them so that the ends can be caught'by theholders'and the holders can draw thedesired lengths of weft from thesupplies for winding the said lengths into coils.

"According to the said invention a selecting mechanism'for'thepresentation of wefts of the correct colours or kinds in sequence fortrans ference in the correct order to shuttles in the s'upplying' ofweft to a warp, has cams or stops actuated by wires connected, to slidebars having lugsfwnereby the slide bars'can be displaced by the actionbflugs arranged along a helical line i on arotated cylinder, the'barsbeing oscillatably and "slidably" rnounted and supported in position fordisplacement, by levers having pins resting on intermittently rotated"drums or chains of cardsjfoperating alternately, holesbeing provided in"the drums or cardsto accommodate the pins where the cams or stops areto'remain inoperativeandthereby allow the respective levers to fall andallow the slide bars to fall, and lifting cams or plates being providedtolift the levers leaf; of the drums or cards before rotation of e l J1' we. 7 The said selecting mechanism may be employed to shiftradially'guided feed strips individually, thesai'd stljips'being arrangedwhenadvanced by theselecting mechanism to present the ends of stationarysupplies of wefts of different colours and/or kinds to apparatus forreplenishing the shuttles with weft; and the strips being projectedindividually-by impingement against" the said earnsfor stops 'accordingto their selection'so that the seleetedstrip is projected to a weft feedstationforfeeding the apparatus for replenishing the shuttles with weft.

The strips are preferably arranged in a pluralityof travelling-groupseach of the individual strips of a group carrying a difierentone or moreof the different wefts, each group arriving suecessively inthe vicinityof a weft feed station, and theselected strip of each group being pro-J'ected when its group arrives in the vicinity of the weft feedstation-by impingement of a lever controlling the selected strip againstacam or stop of 'the selecting mechanisms The cams or stops-of theselecting mechanism may be caught and held in" their operative positionsby latches'whichslip under spring load into their holding positions andare disengaged by impingementagainst them of travelling parts.

In the more or less diagrammatic drawings Figure 1 is a side elevationof a selecting mechanism. J Figurez is an end view thereof.

Figure 1 includes parts ofa-'device which can be controlled by theselecting mechanism, and "Figure 3 'is another side elevation ofthe'device and shows further parts thereof.'-

Figure' l'is anotherside elevation of the devic shownto assist in theexplanation of its opera- Referring to the drawings, the selectingdevice shown therein consists of a frame I in which two drums-2 and '3respectivelyare mounted in alignment for alternate intermittent rotationby toothed ratchet wheels 4 and 5 respectively and pawls 6 and 1respectively. Holes are provided in' the drums 2 and 3 and cards ofpattern chains 8 and 9 carried and driven by the drums iand 3. A seriesof levers l9 havingpins-H has one half oscillatably mounted at -22 aboveeach--of the'drums 2' and 3; A driven drum l2-having two lifting cams Mand I5 respectively which are staggered axially and'dispos'ed atopposite sides ofthe drum" I2, is provided to lift all the levers I Hiofeach half of the series of levers -l0- alteris mountedabovethearms itto rotate continuous'ly and has pro'jecting noses'zfi 'distributedhelically' along 'its periphery from end to end thereof. The patterndrums or card chains 8 and flare-fed one tooth alternately and thoselevers i8 which coact with the drum or card chain being fed are raisedby respective cam l4 or l5 clear of that drum or card whilst it is beingfed by rotation. After the said drum or card chain has stopped, the saidlevers |8 are released by the respective cam M or |5 ceasing to act onthem. Where a pattern hole registers with a lever pin the lever pin I Idrops into the hole and thereby allows that lever |8 to descend. Thelever l8 thereby allows the arm l6 above it to swing down into aposition where its lug I1 is not in the paths of the noses 26 and,therefore, the arm I6 is not slid along by any of the noses 26.Consequently the advancing cam or stop 28 connected to that arm l6remains inoperative. At any place where there is no pattern hole, thepin H of the lever |8 above that place rests on the pattern drum or cardand the lever -|8 there-- fore does not descend and the arm |6 above itcannot descend. The lug H of this arm It therefore remains in the pathof one of the noses 26 which therefore slides that arm |6 along andoperates the advancing cam or stop 28 connected to it. The weight of theparts connected to the arms H5, or springs 58 provided for the purpose,slide the arms |6 back into the initial position when the noses 26ceases to act on their lugs IT. The roller 25 is fixed on a shaft 21which is driven through gearing from the main shaft of the loom. Thedrum |2 is driven from 'the shaft 21 by a driving chain |3 running on asprocket wheel 28 on the shaft 21 and a sprocket wheel 29 on the shaft38 to which the drum l2 is fixed, the pawls 6 and 1 are operated bylevers 3| pivoted at 32 and each having a nose 33 acted on by adifferent cam lug 34 on the roller 25 so as to be swung alternately inone direction. A compression spring 35 is provided in conjunction witheach lever 3| to swing it back again after it has been swung by therespective lug 34.

It is to be understood that the hereinbefore described mechanism forselecting can be employed in conjunction with any means or apparatus ormechanisms for feeding weft to the unidirectionally travelling shuttlesor the equivalent of a circular loom, whether said feeding includespresenting coiling and transferance of weft or not, and that I claimpatent protection for the said mechanism, not only in conjunction withthe said means or apparatus or mechanisms but also alone. For thepurpose of explanation I have shown, by way of example only, a part ofan apparatus which includes a device for presenting different stationarysupplies of weft for 4 coiling into coils and transference of the coilsto shuttles or the equivalent. The device has groups of feed strips 36,one group only being shown in the drawings. The strips of each group arearranged side by side and each of them is suspended by two pivotal links31 from a block 38 which is vertically slidable. In the example shown,the group consists of two strips, but it is to be understood that theremay be a larger number of strips provided in each group according to thenumber of different wefts to be dealt with, there being as many stripsin each group as there are different wefts to be selected from. For eachfeed strip 36 there is a bellcrank lever 39 pivoted at 39a to the block38 and having a laterally projecting stud 48 which slidably engages avertical slot 4| in the feed strip.

When a cam or stop 28 has not been projected by the hereinbeforedescribed selecting mechanism, the feed strip 36 identified with itremains a rear strip in said withdrawn position. If however a cam orstop 28 has been projected by the selecting mechanism, it is impingedagainst by the lever 39 as the block 38 carrying the associated feedlever 36 performs the last part of its vertical rise. Figures 1 and 3show a cam or stop 28 acting on the lever 39 of the front feed strip 36and thereby causing it to be projected. Figure 3 shows the withdrawnposition of the cam or stop 28 which controls the rear feed strip 36. Itwill be noted that when in the withdrawn position, the stop 28 is clearfrom impingement by the rear lever 39 controlling the rear feed strip36.

When a feed strip is projected, its projected end is in position at thetransfer station where its weft can be picked up by the means orapparatus provided to replenish the shuttles or the equivalent withweft. The weft 42 drawn from a stationary supply passes through .an eye43, Figure 1 provided on the feed strip 36 and then between a fixed jaw44 and a movable jaw 45 also provided on the feed strip. The part of theweft which lies between the eye and the said jaws is that part which isgripped or caught by the said means or apparatus, for example, by a pairof jaws 41, 48 travelling through the gap between the said eye and thejaws 44, 45. Whilst the feed arm is in the withdrawn position, the weftis gripped between the jaws 44 and 45, but as the feed strip 33 is swungby means of the cam or stop 28 and lever 39 into its projected position,a lug 49 on one of the pivotal links 31 displaces a rod 58 which isslidable on the feed strip and is connected to the movable jaw, theconsequent displacement of the rod 58 opening the movable jaw 45 againstthe action of a spring and thereby permitting that end of the weft whichwas held between the jaws 44 and 45 to be carried away from the feedstrip by the moving jaws 41, 48, thus leaving the jaws 44, 4'5 empty.The lug 49 operates only at the end of the projecting motion andtherefore holds the end of the weft sufficiently long to enable the weftto be gripped by the jaws 41, 48.

The slide carrying the cam or stop 28 has a lug 5|. A stationary part 52in which the cams or stops 28 slide has levers 53 pivoted at 54 on itand each loaded by a spring 55. Each lever 53 has a tooth 56 whichcatches behind the projection 5| when the cam or stop 28 is projectedand thereby holds the cam or stop in its operative position sufficientlylong to cause it to project the feed strip 36 into its fully projectedposition at the transfer station notwithstanding the fact that thecorresponding bar I6 is no longer acted on by the lug 26 which hadactuated it. When the cam or stop 28 has been held sufficiently long toeffect full projection of the feed strip 36, a lug 51 on the risingblock 38 impinges on the lever 53 so as to raise and thereby disengagethe tooth 56 from the projection 5|, thus releasing the cam or stop 28to allow it to be returned by the spring 68 to its withdrawn position.

Each block has two notches 58 and 68 respectively to catch tooth 6|provided on pivotal arms 62, one of which is carried by each lever 39.Each arm is acted on by a tension spring 63 acting to hold the tooth 6|in yielding engagement with one or other of the notches 59 and 68. Whenthe tooth is engaged with the notch 59, the feed strip is retained bythe lever 39 in its retracted position. When the tooth 6| is engagedwith the notch 88, the feed strip is held by the lever 39 in itsprojected position.

After the weft end has been taken by the jaws 41, 48, the block 38commences to descend whilst the respective feed strip remains projected,due to engagement of its tooth 61 with the notch 60, and its jaws 44, 45remain open because the strip remains in its projected position, seeparticularly Figure 3.

As the block 38 nears the bottom of its descent, the weft 42, which nowstretches between the eye 43 and the departed jaws 41, 48, is caught bya fork 64 which guides it into position between the jaws 44, 45 andlocates it so that it can be caught by jaws 65, 66 at a part of the weftbetween the fork 64 and the departed jaws 41, 48. The weft is then asshown in Figure 4, namely still continuous with the supply. After thejaws 44 and 45 have again gripped the weft new again between them, acutting device (not shown) severe the weft by cutting the weft at aplace between the fork 64 and the jaws 65, 66, so that a piece of weftbecomes severed and therefore detached from the supply for transfer to ashuttle and a new weft end is formed by the severance and is heldstretched between the eye 43 and the jaws 44, 45 as at the commencementof the operation.

As the block nears the end of its descent, the lever 39 of the projectedfeed strip 36 impinges against a stationary stop 61, see Figure 4, whichcauses the lever 39 to swing and force its tooth 6| out of the notch 60into notch 59 and also retract said feed lever to its non-projectedposition in which the jaws 44, 45 are closed and grip the weft,whereupon the block again com mences its ascent. During running thereare always blocks rising and blocks falling in different paths. Whilstone block is at the transfer station another block is at its lowestposition. There are levers I I] and bars I6 for all the feed strips,that is to say there is one lever ID and one bar l6 for each feed stripof each group. Consequently there are several 'groups of feed stripsfeeding weft successively at a single transfer station and consequentlythe speed of operation of the parts of the selector and hereinbeforedescribed devices is maintained relatively low, notwithstanding therelatively high number of weft ends presented in a short period.

I claim:

1. In a selecting mechanism for the presentation of wefts of the correctcolours and kinds in sequence for transference in separate pieces andthe correct order to shuttles in the supplying of weft to a warp,projectable stops, wires for projecting the stops, oscillatably andslidably supported slide bars connected to the wires for pulling them,lugs on the slide bars, a rotatable cylinder, lugs disposed along ahelical line on the cylinder for displacing the first named lugs andtherefore sliding the slide bars, levers supporting the slide bars, pinson the levers, alternately operating displaceable members disposedbeneath the levers and having pattern holes to accommodate the pins, thesaid holes being disposed where wefts are not to be selected forpresentation for allowing the fall of respective levers and slide bars,and lifting means being provided for lifting the levers clear of thealternately operating members before displacement of the said members.

2. In a selecting mechanism for the presentation of wefts of the correctcolours and kinds in sequence for transference in separate pieces andthe correct order to shuttles in the supplying of weft to a warp, a weftfeed station, longitudinally displaceable weft end presenting strips forpresenting the ends of stationary supplies of different wefts to shuttlereplenishing means, projectable members for displacing the strips to theweft feed station singly and separately, and perforated pattern rollcontrolled means for projecting the members into their displaceablepositions for displacing the strips to the weft feed station singly inthe order required for producing "the desired pattern.

3. In a selecting mechanism for the presentation of wefts of the correctcolours and kinds in sequence for transference in correct order toshuttles in the supplying of weft to a warp, a plurality of weftpresenting strips arranged in separate groups, means for lowering andraising each group separately, a weft transfer station, means forwithdrawing any strip of each group from the transfer station, a leverfor projecting each strip individually to the weft transfer station whenits group is raised, and withdrawable means for actuating the leversseparately by impingement of the levers against the said means when notwithdrawn.

4. In a selecting mechanism for the presentation of wefts of the correctcolours and kinds in sequence for the transference in separate piecesand the correct order to shuttles in the supplying of weft to a warp, apresentation station, a plurality of slides arranged to rise and fall inradiant planes all containing the said station, a plurality ofpresenting strips mounted on each slide and swingable from a retractedinto a projected position, a separate weft end presenting means providedon each strip and presenting its weft end at the said station when itsstrip is in the projected position and the slide carrying its strip israised, and means for selecting strips from the said strips andprojecting the selected strips in a predeterminable succession at theend of their ascent, and retracting the projected strip at the end oftheir descent.

5. A selecting mechanism for the presentation of wefts of the correctcolours and kinds in sequence for transference in separate pieces andthe correct order to shuttles in the supplying of weft to a warp,comprising in combination, two alternately feedable rotary drums havingholes, levers above the drums, pins on the levers registering with thesaid holes, raisable and slidable bars supported by the levers,projections on the upper part of the bars, a rotary cylinder above thebars, lugs on the rotary cylinder for sliding the bars through theprojections, cams for raising one half of the levers alternately withthe other half of the said levers, cords connected to the said bars,spring-loaded levers connected to the cords, projectable cams connectedto the levers for operation by the levers when the bars are slid by thelugs, spring loaded pivotal catches for holding the cams in projectedposition, slides, means for raising and lowering the slides inprocessional order, a plurality of strips swingably hung on each slide,a weft end holding device on each strip, levers provided on the slidesand operated by projected cams of the said cams for shifting the stripssingly into operative positions where their weft end holding devicespresent the weft ends singly for transference, and stationary stopsacting on the second named levers for retracting the strips and therebyreturning them to their inoperative positions.

HENRY J. COOPER.

No references cited.

